ade the besiegers fight
lustily, they would have taken the city by storm; but where they
should have fought, they caused the retreat to be sounded, wherefore
they were held in abomination, forasmuch as this was done through
greed of gain; for the which cause the people and the combatants,
losing heart, were slack in skirmishing and on guard; wherefore the
night following they of Arezzo issued forth and set fire to many
wooden towers, and burnt them, with many other works. And this done,
the Florentines lost hope of taking the city by battle, and the better
part of the host departed, leaving the aforesaid strongholds guarded,
to the end they might continually harry the city; and the host
returned to Florence on the 23rd day of July with great rejoicing and
triumph, and there came to meet them the clergy in procession, the men
of birth jousting, and the populace with the standards and ensigns of
each of the Arts, with its company; and they set a canopy of cloth of
gold over the head of M. Amerigo di Nerbona, borne upon pikes by many
knights, and likewise over M. Ugolino de' Rossi of Parma, which was
then Podesta of Florence. And note that all the expenses of the said
host were furnished by our commonwealth by a tax of six and a quarter
per cent., which raised more than 36,000 golden florins, so well
ordered were then the registers of the city and country; and the other
affairs and revenues of the commonwealth were equally well ordered.
True it is that after the return of the said host the popolani began
to suspect that the magnates, through pride of the said victory, might
lay burdens on them beyond accustomed usage; and for this cause the
seven greater Arts drew to themselves the five lesser Arts, and made
ready among themselves arms, and shields, and certain standards, and
this was in a sense a beginning of the Popolo, which afterwards took
the form of the Popolo of 1292, as hereafter we shall narrate. From
the aforesaid victory the city of Florence was much exalted, and rose
to good and happy state, the best which it had seen until these times,
and it increased greatly in people and in wealth, for every one was
gaining by some merchandise, art, or trade; and it continued in
peaceful and tranquil state for many years after, rising every day.
And by reason of gladness and well-being, every year, on the first day
of May, they formed bands and companies of gentle youths, clad in new
raiment, and raised pavilions covered wit